A good start for a new cozy series, I found it engrossing and entertaining.
The cast of characters is well thought and likeable, the mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
I hope to read the next instalment soon.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I really enjoyed most of this book. The first 90% is a lovely gentle cozy crime, with the beginnings of a promising romance. All just the kind of thing I like. It is mostly well written, with only a few errors - eg site used instead of sight throughout.

Although I liked Crystal in general, I found it odd that someone who is a first aider would sneak off after someone has been knocked unconscious by a thrown pan. It also bothers me that Crystal is so concerned about not finishing her meal before Conner - why would that even matter?

I found the last 10% was not so much to my taste - the scene where everything is revealed was far too dramatic for me. It was just a huge change from the tone of the rest of the book that it made me feel really tense. Then the results were all crammed into the epilogue more or less as an aside, it seemed very rushed.

However, this is a fun murder mystery with the start of a romance, so if you don’t mind the odd really tense scene, it could be the book for you.

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.
This was okay, I feel like it started off as one thing and changed to another. I don't feel like transition felt right, but it is was it is.
This starts off as a cozy story, a woman changing her life etc. Then, it turns into a whodunit murder mystery, which was weird.
She and Connor were good chatters and were well developed. The other characters were unlikable and not very well developed at all.
Overall it was pretty good for what it was.

I received a free copy of WINTER TAKES ALL (Book 1 of the Seattle Wilderness Mysteries) by M.L. Erdahl in exchange for an honest review. Fed up with her humdrum life and abusive boss, Crystal Rainey trades in her office job for a position as a wilderness guide. Crystal’s first job is to assist her more-experienced and very handsome fellow-guide, Conner Oakes, in leading a corporate retreat on a snowshoe hike to and from a cozy guest house. A ruckus amongst the corporate crew awakens Crystal and Conner, so they have to intervene and call in search and rescue to locate the angry guests who have scattered outside into the snowy night. When all but one of the guests return, the head corporate honcho is dead in the snow. This results in the insurance company pulling coverage, the cancellation of all future excursions, and a financial crisis for all the guides. An encounter with the ineffectual officer in charge of the investigation leads Crystal to conclude she must solve the homicide by herself. After all, if Crystal can’t uncover the killer, she’ll have to beg to get her old job back and move in with her parents.

I liked the book. It was entertaining and did a nice job of setting up a new series. Be prepared, though. The storytelling style allows for leaps ahead in the tale followed by later recaps to fill in what happened during the missing time. I recommend this book to fans of cozy mysteries featuring outdoor adventures, corporate conniving, mean cats, good friends, and creative solutions to financial desperation.

#WinterTakesAll #NetGalley

I liked the first part of this book better than the rest, when it turned from a feel good change of life story to a murder mystery. The murder mystery part feels a bit awkward. I liked the main person and Connor, they are the more fully developed characters in the story while the rest are not as developed or pleasant. The ending as to who the murderer is was good, I didn't guess it. #WinterTakesAll #NetGalley